16alpha, 17alpha-cyclocarbonate esters of 16alpha, 17alpha-dihydroxy steroids



United States Patent Oflice 3,@9,4Zl Patented Dec. 18, 19532 This invention relates to 16a,17a-cyclocarbonate esters of 160:,170t-dii1Ydf0XY steroids of C-ring substituted pregnenes, that is steroids having a pregnene, pregnadiene or pregnatriene nucleus. More particularly, the invention relates to compounds represented by the formula In Formula I, the 1,2- and/or 6,7positions may be saturated or double bonded so that A A A and A pregnanes are included within the scope of this invention.

The symbols in Formula I have the following meanings: R represents hydrogen, R represnts fi-hydroxy or together R and R are keto (C R" represent hydrogen, halogen or lower alkyl; X and X each represents hydrogen or halogen, but at least one of these two symbols represents hydrogen; Y represents hydrogen or lower alkyl, preferably methyl; and Z represents hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy or the acyloXy radical of a hydrocarbon carboxylic acid of less than carbon atoms.

The symbols R, X, X" and Z represent all four halogens but chlorine and fluorine are preferred in this group. The same or different halogens may appear in a given compound. Lower alkyl groups represented by Y and R" include straight and branched chain saturated hydrocarbon radicals such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, t-butyl, amyl and the like.

Carboxylic acids from which the acyloxy radical Z may be derived to produce ZI-esters include, for example, alkanoic acids, preferably lower alkanoic acids such as acetic, propionic, butyric, heXanoic acids and the like, lower alkenoic acids such as acrylic acid, monocyclic aromatic carboxylic acids such as benzoic and o-, mand p-toluic acids, cycloalkanoic acids such as cyclohexanoic acid, cycloalkenoic acids such as cyclohexenoic acid, and monocyclic aryl-lower alkanoic acids such as phenylacetic and B-phenylpropionic acids.

The following 16a,17a-cyclocarb0nate esters of C-ring substituted-16a,l7a-dihydroxypregnenes are compounds of this invention. They and the working examples which follow serve to illustrate the class of esters included.

l6a-hydroxyhydrocortisone 16a,17a-carbonate 21-acetate,

90c.fitl0l0 l 6a-hydroxyhydrocortisone 16cc, 1 Wat-carbonate,

IZa-chloro-l 6a-hydroxyhydrocortisone 16ot,17ot

carbonate,

6a.-methyl-16ot-hydroxyhydrocortisone 16c ,17a-

carbonate,

6a-fluoro-16ot-hydroxyhydrocortisone 16a,17a-carbonate,

6a,9 x-difluoro-16u-hydroxyhydrocortisone 16a, 1 70- carbonate,

l6a-hydroxycortisone 16a,17u-carbonate, l6a-hydroxycortisone 16a,17a-carbonate 21-acetate, 2ot-methyll 6a-hydroxyeortisone 16a,17ot-C?11bOna[e, 9a-fluoro-l6a-hydroxycortisone 16a,l7a-carbonate, 12a-fluorol 6a-hydroxycortisone 16a, Hot-carbonate, 6a-methyl-1 6OL-i1ydfOXYCOIlIlSO116 16cc, 17OL-CEUEbODatG, 6a-chloro-16a-hydroxycortisone 16a,17a-carbonate, 6:1,9ot-difll10f0-16ot-hYd1OXYCOItiSOI16 16a,17a-carbonate, :,21-difiuoro-A -pregnene-16a, 17a.-diol-3 ,11,.20-trione 16a,17ot-carbonate.

16a-hydroxyprednisolone l6tt,l7u-carbonate, 9a-fluoro-1oa-hydroxyprednisolone 16a,17ot-carbonate, lla-chloro-l6a-hydroxyprednisolone 16a,17a-carbonate, a-methyl-l6ot-hydroxyprednisolone IMAM-carbonate, 6ot-fluoro-l6ahydroxyprednisolone 16a, 17a-c arbonate, 6a.,9a-difluoro-l6a-hydroxyprednisolone 1604,17

carbonate, 9a,21 difiuoro-a -pregnadiene-1 lp,16cx,17atriol-3,20-

dione 16u,l7ot-carbonate.

loct-hydroxyprednisone :,170t-C31i30115t6, loa-hydroxyprednisone 16m, Nit-carbonate 2.1-acetate, 9oc-flllO1'O- l 6m-hydroxyprednisone 1606,17Ct-C8Ib0l'1fli6, i2a-fluoro-l6a-iiydroxyprednisone 16cc, t-C21fb0l13t6, 6a.-rnethyl- 1 fia-hydroxyprednisone l6a,17v.-carbonate, 6a-chloro-l6a-hydroxyprednisone l6cz,17ot-CarbOnate, 6a,9a-difiuoro-l6a-hydroxyprednisone 16ot,170t.-C21Ib0l'13i6.

RE! wherein the 1,2- and/0r 6,7-positions are saturated or double bonded, R, R, R", X, X, and Y have the same meaning as before and Z represents hydrogen, halogen or the acyloxy radical of a hydrocarbon carboxylic acid of less than 10 carbon atoms, with phosgene to produce the cyclic carbonate. The reaction is carried out in the presence of an organic nitrogen base such as pyridine, collidine, triethanolamine, quinoline or the like and the product is recovered from the solution by conventional procedures. Preferably the compound of Formula II is dissolved or suspended in the basic medium and then treated with an equimolecular proportion or excess of the phosgene at a temperature below about C.

The starting materials of Formula I are known substances or are readily obtained from known compounds. Thus 16a,17u-dihydroxy compounds may be obtained from their known 17or-hydroxy analogs by enzymatic hydroxylation at the 16-positi0n by means of the microorganism Streptomyces roseochromogenus according to the method described in US. Patent No. 2,855,343. Similarly, compounds saturated in the l,2-position may be convered to the corresponding 1,2-unsaturated compound by the action of Bacterium cyclooxydans according to the method described in Example 1 of US. Patent No. 2,822,318.

Compounds of Formula 11 bearing l2a-halo and/or 6cx-rnethyl substituents may be produced as described in my copending application Serial No. 677,205, filed August 9, 1957, now abandoned.

The 21-acyloxy-l6ot,17a-diol starting materials for the compounds of this invention can be obtained by treating the corresponding 16a,l7c,2l-triols with an acid anhydride in pyridine and separating the resulting mixture by fractional crystallization. An alternate, more lengthy but more general procedure involves the treatment of the l6a,l7u,2l-triol with a ketone (e.g. acetone) or the alde hyde in the presence of an acid catalyst, (e.g. perchloric acid) to yield the corresponding 16L,17-'l(t21l or acctal which is then treated with an acyl chloride (e.g. acetyl chloride) or an acid anhydride (e.g. acetic anhydride) in a basic organic medium (e.g. pyridine) to form the corresponding 2l-acyloxy-l6a,-17a-ketal or acetal. The latter is converted by hydrolysis with aqueous formic acid to the desired 2l-acyloxy-16a,l7ot-diol by the procedure described in my copending application Serial No. 84,989, filed January 26, 1961.

The 21-halo-16ot,17wdiol starting materials for the compounds of this invention are prepared by converting the corresponding 16u,17u,21-triol to its 16a,17u-ketal or acetal as described above, treating the latter with an organic sulfonyl chloride (e.g. tosyl chloride or rnesyl chloride) to prepare the 2l-sulfonyloxy derivative which is then 2l-halogenated by treatment with an alkali metal halide (e.g. potassium bifiuoride, lithium chloride, lithium bromide and sodium iodide). The latter is converted to the desired 2l-halO-l6oz,l7oc-dl0l compound by hydrolyzing oil tie 16a,l7ot-acetal or ketal grouping with formic acid.

When a 6,7-saturated steroid is used as the starting material and a 6-dehydro final product is desired, the latter may be obtained by treating the 6,7-saturatedl6u,l7a-cyclic esters of this invention with a dehydrogenating agent capable of selectively dehydrogenating this postiion. A suitable dehydrogenating agent is chloranil in ethyl acetate and acetic acid.

Among the starting materials of Formula II which may be used to produce the products of Formula I are the following:

The 21-esters of l6u-hydroxyhydrocortisones, such as the 2l-acetates of 16u-hydroxyhydrocortisone, Zea-methyl- 16a-hydroxyhydrocortisone, 9ctfill01"0l6oz-hYClI'0XYhYdI'O- cortisone, 12a-chloro 16a hydroxyhydrocortisone, 6a methyl- 1 6a-hydroxyhydrocortisone, 6a-fl1lO1'O-16ot-hyClIOX- yhydrocortisone, and 6a,9a-difluoro-l6a-hydroxyhydrocortisone.

The ill-esters of hydroxycortisones such as the 21-acetates of 16a-hydroxycortisone, 2a-methyl-16oz-hydroxycortisone, 9ot-iluoro-l6ot-hydroxycortisone, 120L-fillOI'0-16othydroxycortisone, Got-methyl 160a hydroxycortisone, 6achloro-l6whydroxycortisone, 6ot-fluoro-l6a-hydroxycortisone, and a-fla-difluoro-l6ot-hydroxycortisone.

The 2l-esters of l6u-hydroxyprednisolones such as the ZI-acetates of 1a-hydroxyprednisolone, 9a-fluoro-16uhydroxyprednisolone, 12a-chloro 16oz hydroxyprednisolone, 6a-methyl-16a-hydroxyprednisolone, 6a-fluoro-16uhydroxyprednisolone, 6a,9a-difluorol6a-hydroxyprednisolone.

The 2l-esters of l6a-hydroxyprednisones such as the 21-acetates of l6ot-hyoroxyprednisone, 9ot-fluoro-l6a-hydroxyprednisone, 12a-fiuoro-l6a-hydroxyprednisone, 6amethyl-l6a hydroxyprednisone, 6achloro-16u-hydroxyprednisone, 6e,9a-difluoro-16tx-hydroxyprednisone.

ll-hydroxyor 1l-keto-A -pregnene-l6a,l7adi0l-3,20- diones such as trione.

The compounds of this invention are physiologically active substances which possess glucocorticoid and anti-inflammatory activities and hence can be used in lieu of known glucocorticoids such as hydrocortisone and cortisone in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis for which purpose they can be administered in the same manner as, for example, hydrocortisone, the dosage being adjusted for the relative potency of the particular steroid. They may be administered orally, for example, in the form of tablets or capsules by incorporating a therapeutic dosage with a carrier according to conventional practice.

The following examples are presented to more fully illustrate the present invention (all temperatures being expressed in degrees centigrade).

EXAMPLE 1 T riamcinolone Z 604,17ot-Cdlb0fldt8 21-Acetate (A) PREPARATION OF TRIAMCINOLONE 2l-ACETATE A solution of 500 mg. of triamcinolone and .195 ml. (1.6 moles) of acetic anhydride in 8 ml. of pyridine is allowed to stand at room temperature for 20 hours. After removal of the reagents in vacuo, the residue is triturated with chloroform, the resulting crystals filtered, and washed with chloroform. The crystalline precipitate after recrystallization from acetone furnishes about 130 mg. of pure triamcinolone 21-monoacetate having the following properties: M.P. 2l8-220 and 227-229; [a] |-57 (c. .37 in acetone); Hit}. 238 mu Milli? 5.75, 5.82, 6.04, 6.20 and 625a Analysis.Calcd for C H O F (436.46): C, 63.29; H, 6.69. Found: C, 63.21; H, 6.81.

(B) PREPARATION OF TRIAMCINOLONE 160.,17a- CARBONATE 21-ACETATE To a solution of 200 mg. of triamcinolone 2l-monoacetate in 6 ml. of anhydrous pyridine is added with stirring at 0, 2.5 ml. of a 10% solution of phosgene in toluene. The reaction is allowed to proceed at 0 for 20 minutes after which timeice and water are added. The mixture is extracted with chloroform. The chloroform extract is washed with water, dilute sulfuric acid, water, dilute sodium bicarbonate solution and again with Water, died over sodium sulfate and the solvent removed in vacuo. The crystalline residue (about 224 mg.) is recrystallized from alcohol (with the aid of carbon) and has the following properties: M.P. 267278; [11] +69 (c. .47 in chlf.);

A333? 2.95, 5.50, 5.72, 5.75, 6.03, 6.18, and 6.23;;

2.88 (shoulder), 2.98,

Analysis.Calcd for C I-1 1 (462.45): C, 62.33; H, 5.88. Found: C, 62.60; H, 5.16.

EXAMPLE 2 Triamcinolone 1 601,1 7a-Carb0nate To a solution of 100 mg. of triamcinolone 16a,l7xcarbonate 21-acetate in 10 ml. of methanol is added under nitrogen 1 ml. of a 10% solution potassium carbonate in water. The mixture is allowed to stand at room temperature for /2 hour after which the mixture is acidified with 0.1 ml. of glacial acetic acid, 2 ml. Water are added and the methanol removed in vacuo. The

resulting crystalline precipitate is filtered off, washed with water and dried to yield the product triamcinolone IMAM-carbonate.

EXAMPLE 3 6-Dehydrotriamcinolone 16a,17a-Carb0nate 21-Acetate EXAMPLE 4 To a solution of 1 g. of triamcinolone acetonide in 10 ml. of anhydrous pyridine is added at 0 1 ml. of methanesulfonyl chloride. After two hours at 0 ice Water is added and the precipitated mesylate is removed by filtration. The precipitate is washed thoroughly with Water and dried in vacuo, then recrystallized from acetonehexane. The triamcinolone acetonide 21-mesylate melts at about 248250 (dec.) or 286-287 (dec.) (polymorphic forms).

A mixture containing 1 g. of triamcinolone acetonide 21-mesylate, 1 g. of potassium fluoride and 25 ml. of ethylene glycol is refluxed (180) for 19 hours. The dark solution is poured into ice water and extracted with chloroform. The chloroform extract is washed with water, dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated to dryness in vacuo. The residue, 16a,l7a-isopropylidene-9a,2l-difiuoro-A -pregnadiene-11,6-16u,17a-triol 3,20 dione, is recrystallized from acetone with the aid of charcoal and melts at about 310.

The above product is deacetonated by treatment with formic acid by the procedure of Example 7 of my copending application Serial No. 84,989, filed January 26, 1961, to obtain 9,21 difiuoro A pregnadiene- 11/3,16a,17ot-triol-3,20dione.

Treatment of the above products with phosgene in pyridine at 0 for 20 minutes in accordance with the procedure of Example 1B yields the final product 904,21- difluoro-A -pregnadiene-1l/3,16a,17a-triol 3,20 dione 16a,17a-carbonate.

EXAMPLE 5 ZI-ChZora-9a-fluoro-A -Pregnadiene-J16,16a,17ot-Triol Sid-Dione 16a,17ot-Carb0nate A solution of 200 mg. of triamcinolone acetonide 21- meeylate and 900 mg. of lithium chloride in 25 ml. of dimethylformamide is kept at 100 for 24 hours. The mixture is poured on ice, extracted with chloroform and the chloroform extract washed with Water and dried over sodium sulfate. Evaporation of the solvent in vacuo .yields 6 2l-chloro-9a-fluoro-A -pregnadiene-1lfl,16a,17octriol-3,20-dione 16,17-acetonide which melts at about 310 after recrystallization from acetone-ethanol.

By further processing the above product as described in Example 4, 21 chloro 9a fiuoro A pregnadiene- 1lfi,l6ot,l70c-tfiOl-3,20-Cli0l1 IMAM-carbonate is obtained.

EXAMPLE 6 6 a-F luorotriam cinolone 1 6 ,1 7 tit-Carbonate 21-Pr0pi0nate (A) PREPARATION OF GwFLUOROTRIAMCINOLONE 21-PROPIONATE A solution of 200 mg. of 6a-fiuorotriamcinolone acetonide in 1 ml. of pyridine and 0.5 ml. of propionic anhydride is allowed to remain at room temperature for twenty hours. After removal of the reagents in vacuo the residue l60t,170-aCtOIllde of 6a-fiuorotriamcinolone 2l-propionate is deacetonated with 60% formic acid at according to the procedure described in Example .4, thereby yielding 6ot-fiuorotriamcinolone 2l-propionate.

(B) PREPARATION OF fia-FLUOROTRIAMCINOLONE 16a,17a-CARBONATE ZI-PROPIONATE To a solution of 1 g. of the product of part A in 30 ml. of pyridine is added, with stirring, at 0, 10 ml. of a 10% solution of phosgene in toluene. The reaction mixture is treated as in Example 18 to yield the product 6ot-fluorotriamcinolone IMAM-carbonate ZI-propionate.

EXAMPLE 7 2-Methyltriamciiz0lone 1 6a,] 7otCarb0naze 21 -Acetate 200 mg. of Za-methyl-triamcinolone 2l-acetate (prepared by sequentially acetonating, acctylating and deacetonating 2tx-methyl triamcinolone in accordance with the procedure of Example 6A) is dissolved in 3 ml. of pyridine and treated at 0 with stirring with 2.5 ml. of a 10% solution of phosgene in toluene in accordance with the procedure of Example 113 thereby ielding the product 2 methyltriamcinolone l6CL,17OL carbonate-2lacetate.

EXAMPLE 8 Zoe-Methy l-16a-Hydr0xyhydrocortisone 1 6 [1,] 706- Carbonat'e 21 -A aerate 2ot-methyl-l6othydroxyhydrocortisone ZI-acetate (prepared by sequentially acetonating, acylating and deacetonating 2ct-methyl-1ot-hydroxyhydrocortisone in accordance with the procedure in Example 6A) is treated in a solution of pyridine with phosgene as described in Example 1B thereby yielding the product 2ut-rnethyl-16tthydroxyhydrocortisone lo l'lu-carbonate ZI-acetate.

EXAMPLE 9 2oc-Methyl-6-D ehydro-I doc-Hydroxyhydromrtisone 16a,l7a-Carb0nate 21 -A cetate The product of the preceding example is treated with recrystallized chloranil in accordance with the procedure of Example 3 yielding the product 2ot-rnethyl-6-dehydrol6a-hydroxyhydrocortisone :,17u-C2l1b0112l't6 21-acetate.

EXAMPLE 10 12a-Chl0ro-1 6 OL-H ydroxycortisone-I 6 a,] hit-Carbonate- 21 -A cetale Substitution of 1 g. of 12a-chloro-l6u-hydroxycortisone-Zl-acetate (prepared by sequentially treating 12achloro-l6a-hydroxycortisone with acetone and perchloric acid, acetic anhydride and pyridine and 60% formic acid in accordance with the procedure of Example 6A) is treated with phosgene in accordance with the procedure of Example 13 thereby yielding the product IZwChlOIO- l6a-hydroxycortisone 16a,17ot-carbouate ZI-acetate.

This invention may be variously otherwise embodied within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: a 1. A compound selected from the group consisting of steroids of the formula and the 1,2- and 6,7-unsaturates thereof, wherein R represents hydrogen, R represents B-hydroxy and together R and R are keto; R" represents a member of the group consisting of hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine and lower alkyl; X and X each represents a member of the group consisting of hydrogen chlorine and fluorine, at least one representing hydrogen; Y represents a member of the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl; and Z represents a member of the group consisting of hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine, hydroxy and the acyloxy radical of a hydrocarbon carboxylic acid of less than carbon atoms.

2. A compound of the formula wherein the acyloxy group is the acyloxy radical of a hydrocarbon carboxylic acid of less than ten carbon atoms and the halo group is a member of the group consisting of chlorine and fluorine.

3. A compound of the formula References Qited in the file of this patent Noller Chemistry of Organic Compounds, W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, Pa. (1957) p. 741. 

1. A COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF STEROIDS OF THE FORMULA 